Foldable game.



W. ZARLING.

f FOLDABLE GAME.

APPLICATION msn JUNE 21, |916.

Patented June 25, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

N Nm @WMM ATTUHND/E W. ZARLING.l

FOLDABLE GAME.

APPLICATION r1LED1uN21,191e.

Patented June 25, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WVU/TUF? *Y ATTURNCYE fg @MW ff W. ZARLING.

FOLDABLE GAME.

,APPLICATION mio xuNEzl. 191e.

Patented J une 25, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ATTRNYE NN. n@ ,inni N UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM ZAR/LING, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO ALBERT A. PLAUTZ, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

FOLDABLE GAME.

Application filed June 21, 1916.

T0 all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, VVrLLiAn ZARLING, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Foldable Games, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in foldable games.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to providea game of the port-able type, more particularly, although not solely, adapted for use as bowling alley.

A further object of the invention is to provide a foldable game which may be easily folded to a convenient compact form which will occupy but a small amount of space when not in `use and is easily eX- tended for use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a foldable game having a clamping means for firmly maintaining the parts in operative connection.

A further object of the invention. is to provide a foldable game having parts which may be easily attached to permit the play of a game other than bowling.

A further object of the invention is to provide a game of the foldable type which is of simple construction, is strong and durable and is well adapted for the purpose described.

With the above and other objects in View the invention consists of the improved foldable game and its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawings in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

Figure 1 is a top view of the foldable game with the parts shown in assembled position;

Fig, 2 is a side view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an inverted view thereof;

Fig. 4 is a similar view with the parts separated Fig. 5 is a longitudinal central sectional view thereof taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional detail view taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 1;

Fi 7 is a transverse sectional view there of taen on line 7 7 of Fig. 1;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 25, 1918.

Serial No. 104,834.

Fig. 8 is a similar view taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is a top view of a portion of the foldable game showing an attachment mounted thereon;

Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view thereof taken on line 10 10 of Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional detail view thereof taken on line 11-11 of Fig. 9.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 15 indicates the foldable game proper of which the alley portion 16 is formed of a plurality of bottom sections 17, central longitudinal connecting members 18 three part hinged together side members 19 and end members 20 and 21. The bottom sections 17 form the floor of the alley and are provided with side grooves 22 to separate the bowling floor surfaces 23 from the side portions of the alley. The said bottom sections and the member 20 are provided at one end with dowel pins 24 which enter dowel pin recesses 25 in the respective adjacent portions and aline the parts together. The lower end portions of the bottom sections 17 are also provided with transverse reinforcing strips 26 which project beyond the opposite sides of the bottom sections to nnderlap the central connecting members 18 and form supporting ledges for the side members 19.

As the end members 20 and 21 extend approximately the full width of the bottom sections and the central connecting members the dowel pin connections between said end members and the bottom sections serve to also lock the bottom sections againstlateral movement with respect to each other.

The three part hinged together side members 19 as before stated rest upon the projecting end portions of the transverse reinforcing strips 26 and adjacent their rear ends are provided with downwardly extending dowel pins 27 which enter openings 28 in the end piece 21. The forward ends of the side members are maintained in position by fingers 29 which project rearwardly from the front end member 20 and engage the outer side portions of said forward ends.

The central longitudinal connecting members 18 underlap the floor sections between the transverse reinforcing strips 26 and project upwardly and between the bottom sections and form the divisional wall between the two alleys and the u per edge ortions and inclined downwar y forwarly and.

grooved to form a return trough 30 for the bowling balls 31. rlhe rear end portion 32 of the trough extends at a steeper incline than the major port-ion to give the balls an initial start and the front portion is formed with an abrupt inclined part 33 to check or retard the speed of the balls rolling down the inclined trough toward the front of the alley.

Aln order to firmly hold the parts together a clamping means 34 is used which comprises slidable slotted plates 35, hook rods 36 and a bolt 37. The slotted plates 35 are slidably positioned between the transverse strips 26 of the rear section 17 and said rear sections and are held in position by vertically extending pins 38 which pass through the slots 39 of the plates and through sections and the transverse strips. The adjacent rear ends of the front bottom sections 17 between the said sections and the strips 26 are provided with slots 40 which register with the plates 35 so that when assembled the plates may be slid forwardly through said slots to brace the parts together. The forward ends of these plates are of somewhat pointed form to easily assemble the parts and are provided with openings 41 to receive the hooked ends 42 of the hook rods 36. The forward ends 36 of these rods are threaded and extend through openings 43 and 44 of the forward transverse strips 26 and the front end member' 20 and are provided with nuts 45 for drawing the parts clampingly together.

The bolt 37 before mentioned extends medially through the rear end member 21 and threads into a plate 46 mounted in the rear end of the rear central. connecting member 18.

The side members 19 of the alley are provided with upstanding rods 47 between the upper ends of which a cord 48 is tightly drawn for holding tally buttons 49 slidably mounted thereon for keeping count of the game.

Bowling pins 50 are placed upon pin spots 51 and the balls 31 are rolled down the alley in the usual manner.

The rear end member 21 is provided with a padded back portion 52 to cushion the impact of the balls against said back.

An attachment is provided when it is desired to play a game other than bowling. This attachment comprising a transverse member 53 carrying four numbered plates 54 which are slidably positioned between two portions 55 of said transverse member. The numbered plates are normally maintained in their lowermost position by trip dogs 56 which engage shouldered portions 57 formed on the plates 54. Elastic bands 58 looped over the shouldered portions 57 and over pins 59 pull the plates upwardly when said plates are released by the dogs 56. The upper end portions of the plates extend through slots 60 formed in the transverse member and shouldered portions 61 of the plates limit the upward movement of the plates. The trip dogs are maintained in locking position by gravity and having downwardly extending rounded portions which depend below the transverse member and are positioned to be struck by the bowling balls in lieu of the bowling pins before mentioned. When the trip dog is struck by a ball the respective plate held by the dog will be released and the elastic will pull the plate upwardly and display the numeral on the plate. Each plate has a different number delineated thereon so that considerable skill will be required to strike the dog controlling the release of the plate containing said highest number. The score of this game is kept with the tally buttons in the same manner as in bowling.

The transverse member is held in position by pins 62 which project outwardly from the opposite end portions of the transverse member and enter openings 63 provided in the side members.

From the foregoing description it will be seen thatl the game is of very simple construction and is well adapted for the purpose described.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A foldable game board, comprising bottom sections, longitudinally extending centra-l members interposed between the bottom sections and having upstanding grooved portions for returnin balls from the rear to the front portion of tie game, side members connected thereto, end members connected to the side members and having dowel pin connections with the bottom sections, and means for clamping the parts together.

2. A foldable game board, comprising bottom sections, upstanding side members connected thereto, end members extending transversely across the opposite ends of the side members and the interposed bottom sections, said bottom sections and end members having a dowel pin connection with each other, longitudinally extending central members interposed between the bottom sections and having upstanding inclined grooved portions for returning balls from the rear to the front portion of the game, and means for clamping the parts together.

3. A foldable' game board, comprising bottom. sections, upstanding side members conneet-ed thereto, end members extending transversely across the opposite ends of the side members and the interposed bottom sections, said bottom sections and end members having a dowel pin connection with each other, longitudinally extending central members interposed between and underlapping the bottom sections and having upstanding inclined grooved portions for returning balls from the rear to the front por- I N I tion of the game, and means for clamping t-he parts together.

fl.. A toldable game board, comprising a plurality ot bottom sections placed in endwise and sidewise position in pairs with relation to each other and having transverse reinforcing end strips which project beyond the opposite side edge portions of the said sections, longitudinally extending central members interposed between pairs of the bottom sections and resting on some of the projecting end strips and having upstanding inclined grooved portions for returning balls from the rear to the front portion of the game, side members resting upon som`e of the projecting end portions of the transverse strips, end members connected to the end portions of the side members and the bottom sections therebetween, said end members and bottom sections having a dowel pin connection therebetween, means `for clamping the parts together, pins adapted to rest upon the floor sections, and balls for rolling on said Hoor sections.

A foldable game board, comprising a pluralitj7 of bottom sections placed in endwise and sidewise position in pairs with relation to each other and having transverse reinforcing end strips which project beyond the opposite side edge portions of the said sections, longitudinally extending central members interposed between pairs of the bottom sections and resting on some of the projecting end strips and having upstanding inclined grooved portions for returning balls from the rear to the front portion of the game, side members resting upon some of the projecting end portions of the transverse strips, end members connected to the end portions of the side members and the bottom sections therebetween, said end members and bottom sections having a dowel pin connection therebetween, slidable plates connected to some of the bottom sections and engaging the other bottom sections, and hooked rods engaging the plates and one of the end members for clamping the parts together.

6. A toldable game board, comprising a plurality of bottom sections placed in endwise and sidewise position in pairs with relation to each other and having transverse reinforcing end strips which project beyond the opposite side edge portions of the said sections, longitudinally extending central members interposed between pairs of the bottom sections and resting on some of the projecting end strips and having underlapping portions and having upstanding inclined grooved portions for returning ballsl from the rear to the front portion of the game, side members resting upon some of the projecting end portions of the transverse strips, end members connected to the end portions of the side members and the bottom sections therebetween, said end members and bottomA sections having a dowel pin conneetion therebetween, slidable plates connected to some of the bottom sections and engaging the other bottom sections, and hooked rods engaging the plates and one of the end members for clamping the parts together. l

7. A foldable game board, comprising a plurality of'bottom sections placed in endwise and sidewise position in pairs with relation to each other and having transverse reinforcing end strips which project beyond the opposite side edge portions of the said sections, llongitudinally extending central members interposed between pairs of the bottom sections and resting on some of the projecting end strips and having upstanding inclined grooved portions for returning balls from the rear to the front portion of the game, side members resting upon some of the projecting end portions of the transverse strips, end members connected to the end portions of the side members and the bottom sections therebetween, said end members and bottom sections having a dowel pin connection therebetween, slidable plates connected to some of the bottom sections and vengaging the other bottom sections, hooked rods engaging the plates and one of the end members for clamping the parts together, and a bolt engaging the other end member and the longitudinally extending central member for clamping the parts together.

8. A foldable game board, comprising a plurality of bottom sections placed in endwise and sidewise position in pairs with relation to each other and having transverse reinforcing end strips which project beyond the opposite side edge portions of the said sections, longitudinally extending central members interposed between pairs of the bottom sections and resting on some of the proj ecting end strips and having upstanding inclined grooved portions for returning balls 1,10 from the rear to the front portion of the game, side members resting upon some of the projecting end portions of the transverse strips, a transverse member positioned between the side members, a plurality of slidable members carried by the transverse member and held yieldingly in their lower position, means releasably holding the slidable members in their lower position, end members connected to the end portions ot' the 120 side members and the bottom sections therebetween, said end members and bottom sections having a dowel pin connection therebetween, means for clamping the parts together, pins adapted t0 rest upon the floor 125 sections, and balls for rolling on said Hoor sections.

9. A foldable game board, comprising a plurality of bottom sections placed in endwise and sidewise position in pairs with relation to each other and having transverse reinforcing end strips which project beyond the opposite side edge portions of the said sec tions, longitudinally extending central members interposed between pairs of the bottom sections and resting on some of the projecting end strips and having upstanding inclined grooved portions for returning balls from the rear to the front portion of the gaine, side members resting upon some of the projecting end portions of the transverse strips, end members connected to the end portions of the side members and the bottom sections therebetween, said end members and bottom sections having a dowel pin connection therebetween, means for clamping the parts together, a transverse memberI positioned between the side members, a plurality of numbered slidable mem bers carried by the transverse member and yieldingly held in their lower position with the numbered portions covered, and means releasably holding the numbered members in their lower position.

In testimony whereof, I aHiX my signature.

WILLIAM ZARLING.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

